Thursday, 29 November 2012

Courageous Leadership

God has men in reserve, prepared to meet the demand, that His plan for His People may be preserved from all contaminating influences. God will be honored and glorified. When the divine Spirit impresses the mind of the man appointed by God as fit for the work, he responds, saying, "Here am I; send me." . . .
Nehemiah, The Re-Builder of the Walls of Jerusalem, showed himself to be a man whom God could use to put down false principles and to restore heaven-born principles; and God honored him. The Lord will use men who are as true as steel to principle, who will not be swayed by the sophistries of those who have lost their vision.

When you see wrong principles being acted upon, do not stand by as an onlooker, and by your silence give consent. Do not leave the people to conclude that you are standing on the wrong side. Take a firm, unyielding stand for the right. Do not lend one jot of influence to the perversion of the principles and values that you believe in. Be a Man with a Mission that could be slowed down, but not stopped [1]. Say;

I am only one, but I am one.
I cannot do everything, but I can do something.
And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.[2]

When Nehemiah moved out as a reformer and deliverer in Israel, he was actuated by love to God and anxiety for the prosperity of his people. His heart was in the work he had undertaken; and his hope, his energy, his enthusiasm, his determination of character, were contagious, and inspired others with the same courage and lofty purpose that animated him. Each man became a Nehemiah in his own sphere, and helped to make stronger the hand and heart of his neighbor; and soon feebleness was succeeded by strength and courage.”[3]

Become anxious of the prosperity of the people; give all of yourself into the work you undertake as a leader.  Let others be inspired with the same courage and lofty purpose that animates you. Be moved by the intense desire to lead the people into prosperity. In all circumstances, let love and vision for the people drive you to stand as a brand in the burning. Let the most bitter opposition, the boldest threats of the adversaries, seem only to inspire you with firmer determination, and arouse you to greater watchfulness. Stand on values and principles though the Heavens fall.

Nehemiah was God's chosen instrument to effect a reformation among his people, and to deliver them from the oppression that they’ve been going through. The circumstances were discouraging; but Nehemiah was a man of courage and fidelity. He caused the people to be instructed in the way everything should be. And you can be like him.

Don’t let your zeal and energy abate, in anything you do or plan to. Do not fold your hands, feeling that you might let fall the burden. Constantly superintend the work with tireless vigilance, directing the people, noting every hindrance, and providing for every emergency. Let your influence be constantly felt along the whole extent of the duty. With timely words encourage the fearful, approve the diligent, or arouse the laggard. And again watch with eagle eye the movements of your adversaries, who at times may collect at a distance and engage in earnest conversation as if plotting mischief and make sure to short-circuit attempts to divert people’s attention and hindrances to the work.

The eye of every member is often directed to you, ready to heed the slightest signal, uplift your eye and heart to God, the great overseer of the whole work, the one who put it into the heart of his servant to lead. Let faith and courage strengthen in your own heart, and exclaim, and your words, repeated and re-echoed, will thrill the hearts of the workers all along the line, "The God of Heaven, he will prosper us."

The most bitter opposition, the boldest threats of the enemy, seemed only to inspire Nehemiah with firmer determination, and to arouse him to greater watchfulness. Stand as a brand in the burning. What a position you are in! The world around you is in darkness. Deception is prevalent everywhere; and here is the remnant person taking his/her stand on an important truth shouting that, ‘Truth shall Prevail!’

“The greatest want of the world is the want of men, men who will not be bought or sold; men who in their inmost souls are true and honest; men who do not fear to call sin by its right name; men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole; men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.[4]

                                                                                                                by Zechariah Inconel YAKAP

Quotations:

[1] Michael Anthony
[2] ~Edward Everett Hale~
[3] {ST, May 20, 1886 par. 13}
[4] EGW- {Sons and Daughters, 214.4}  215

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